Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) called for voters to vote Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) out of office during a rally in Wyoming on Thursday.
“In a lot of ways, Liz Cheney is exactly like Congress: deeply unpopular and owned by special interests,” Gaetz told a crowd of hundreds during a rally in Cheyenne.
Cheney has faced strong pushback after joining Democrats to impeach then-President Donald Trump earlier this month. She took the caucus by surprise when she announced her decision because she didn’t reveal what she was planning with Republican leadership, according to House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
“There’s basically two things that Liz Cheney has done in the United States Congress: frustrate the agenda of President Trump and sell out to the ‘forever war machine,’” Gaetz said.
Donald Trump Jr., Trump’s son, speaking by phone, told rallygoers that they should “find exactly the opposite” of Cheney and support that person against her in the next race.
Cheney’s office pointed The Epoch Times to officials who have come out in support of her since the vote, including Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas). Appearing on Fox News last week, Cheney was asked about her vote.
“All of us who lived through the events of January 6, all who watched on television ... I think it’s important that what happened on Jan. 6 never happen again,” she said. “I think it’s also important we come together as a party now to move forward, to make sure that we are fighting against the kinds of policies that we know the Democrats are going to put forward and also that we’re putting forward a positive agenda of hope and opportunity for the future letting people understand what Republicans stand for.”
People held signs at the Jan. 28 rally including ones that said, “Impeach Liz Cheney!” and “Florida Man Is an Idiot.” A small group of counter-demonstrators was present. The Wyoming Highway Patrol told news outlets that there were between 700 and 800 people at the rally.
The rally took place days before the House GOP caucus is set to meet behind closed doors.
An overwhelming majority of the caucus voted against impeachment and an effort to oust Cheney from her position as House GOP Conference chair has gained steam, though it doesn’t have support from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) or House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.).
“Wyoming doesn’t like it when outsiders come into our state and try to tell us what to do,” former Wyoming state Rep. Amy Edmonds, a Republican, said in a statement about Gaetz’s comments.
Cheney will face at least one primary challenger in 2022.
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